Study on creation and utilization of fundamental data of rock garden at elementary and junior high school

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K02561
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 09040:Education on school subjects and primary/secondary education-related
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: Ohtomo Yukiko 山形大学, 地域教育文化学部, 客員研究員 (40143721)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 八木 浩司 山形大学, 地域教育文化学部, 名誉教授 (40292403)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 岩石園 / 学校 / 教材 / 大地の歴史 / 地域地質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We surveyed rock gardens on the campuses of five elementary and junior high schools in Yamagata City and one school in Tokyo. These rock gardens were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s. Surveys of the five schools in Yamagata City revealed that the appearance and purpose of the rock gardens varied from school to school. Some resembled traditional gardens, others had educational displays, and others had stones scattered throughout. The origins of the rocks varied from school to school, with the majority of samples in Yamagata City coming from within the prefecture, with some from outside the prefecture. Most of the rocks in the one school in Tokyo were of unknown origin and likely collected by donors.
At Yamagata University Junior High School and Yamagata Municipal No. 9 Junior High School, rock gardens and mini rock gardens were used in science classes on the "Structure of Igneous Rocks," demonstrating their potential as a valuable educational resource for the local community.

Free Research Field

地質学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

1960年代から1970年代にかけて、国内の小・中学校では、岩石や植物などの自然の要素を環境に取り入れるために、岩石園・植物園が整備された。山形市内の小中学校の岩石園調査により，主に山形県の岩石を収集されていた．山形大学附属中学校では、岩石園が1年生の理科で「火成岩のつくり」の授業で活用され、この岩石園が貴重な地域教育資源となる可能性を示した。これらの岩石は「火成岩のつくり」の授業での使用以外にも、地元の大地の歴史を明らかにする教育資源として役立つことが期待される。日本列島は古生代から新生代にかけて活発な造山運動によって形成され、多様な岩石が形成され，地域の岩石が有効な教材になっている。